Green addressed reporters and members of the public Monday afternoon, displaying the letter and expressing frustration about the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am upset,\u201d Green said. \u201cI\u2019m upset because I am charged with the responsibility of protecting the staff that\u2019s here and also the public that comes into this area.\u201d<\/p>\n
Authorities found the envelope Oct. 16 at the federal building at 1919 Smith St. The building houses the offices of federal officials, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, as well as a U.S. passport agency and an immigration court.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the person is doing this as a joke, it\u2019s not funny,\u201d Green said. \u201cThere are too many things happening, and too many people are concerned, for us to consider this funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
Green said the envelope was found Friday but that Monday\u2019s news conference was the first time he had seen it in person.<\/p>\n
The letter displayed at the news conference appeared to have been mailed from San Antonio and dated Oct. 13. It was addressed to Green at 3003 South Loop and included a suite number.<\/p>\n
An employee reported finding the substance after opening the envelope, the Houston Police Department said, according to previous Houston Chronicle reporting.<\/p>\n
Green said officials had not determined whether the substance was harmful.<\/p>\n
Members of Congress do not open their own mail, Green said. Staff members use specialized equipment to screen and open it.<\/p>\n